Page 10 of My Summer Girl

(she/they)

Baila Conmigo – Selena Gomez & Rauw Alejandro

With each step toward the pyre, my feet sink into the sand, trudging along. Although the flames are held within a barrel, they still sway and whip around as the wind playfully interacts with them.

It’s warm out—muggy, a summer vibe when it’s barely June. The climate in this particular area of Darchon is consistently hotter throughout the year.

Without the stars, the night feels never-ending, and it’s easy to lose your way. I’ve heard of the cosmos in other realms, where you can see entire galaxies, but until I witness them myself—or aliens for that matter—I won’t believe a word of it.

Fire plumes and little speckles of ash rise as the wet wood pops. There’s something so serene about the sound and scents of a campfire. It’s soothing and unique, even if the scent clinging to your clothes days later isn’t pleasant. In the moment, it’s perfect.

People sit in a circle on the sand, laughing, dancing, and some are even singing random tunes. As I approach, they don’t stop or stare, but one taps the ground next to them.

They’re short and adorable, their skin a soft yellow, almost like daffodils if the color was lightly drained from it somehow. Their eyebrows rise as they scan me, smiling when I chuck my heels and sit.

“Opie,” they offer, their hand reaching toward me. Weirdly enough, it’s as if their skin is glitter, glistening with the flickers of the flames.

“Dulce,” I reply softly in return, instantly feeling a connection to this stranger.

“What brings you here?” I search the shore of the beach, thinking of how I wandered over here so randomly. It isn’t like I sought this place out; my feet just headed in this direction. Almost like fate willed it.

“My brother just married the love of his life,” I answer, thinking of why I’m wearing this dress and heels on a beach. With a frown, I point my thumb from where they would be many paces back. I’m not sure how long I trekked before getting here, but I know it’s that way.

They nod as they adjust, stretching their legs out in front of them. The people around them chat openly but they pay them no mind.

“Was it nice?”

“Was what nice?”

They roll their eyes as if I’m not paying attention. “The wedding, dude. How was the wedding?”

“Beautiful, stunning, heartwarming...” I trail off, thinking of how Val and Pyro looked at the altar, sharing both Cupid and Draegyn rituals. I want that. Not a dragon per se, but the connection they share, and the one my sister Xó shares with her husband Arson.

Love.

They’re all happy, peaceful, making lives of their own, and choosing their paths.

I’ve only been given one duty: be a Cupid. While I excel at it—my only rivals being my own siblings when it comes to following through—it is tiring.

We are born Cupids, raised in an academy with other Cupids, and we learn to give others love through our magical touch.

It’s easy enough, but it can feel empty sometimes. Lonely, like there isn’t hope for anything other than work and making others happy.

Dionysus, my twin sister, thinks I’m a workaholic because I like to control outcomes, but it’s not true. I’m always working to compensate for the sadness that fills me. The fear of being alone creeps through my veins all the time.

I know as Cupids, we’ll eventually be forced into marriage, but that’s just as lonely. Just look at my parents.

“Dulce?” Opie taps my shoulder, trying to get my attention. “You zoned out there. You didn’t even finish your sentence.”

With a nod, I close my eyes briefly. “It was stunning, truly. I loved seeing them announce their love to the world. Even if it was just a formality. They eloped last year without telling anyone.”

Their eyes widen before they giggle, the carefree sound similar to my sister Xó’s. It’s the kind that expresses hope and happiness, something I’ve lacked for quite some time.

“Why do you seem so sad if it was amazing?”

I grip the top of my head, knowing better than to drag my hand through my curls, even if I want to. “I’m a Cupid,” I state evenly. My stomach churns with that word. It’s always been a prideful thing for me, it still kind of is, but there’s this resentment that’s been festering since Xó met Arson. An almost jealousy that I’ve never felt before.

Usually when I want something, I go for it. Love isn’t something you simply chase.

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